News & Events in Belarus
Lukashenko on Slavianski Bazaar’s 35th anniversary: Mirror of the history of sovereign Belarus
MINSK, 16 July (BelTA) – The international art festival Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk has always been more than a culture event. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement during the solemn opening ceremony of the 35th festival on 16 July, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “This year the festival has turned 35. For a festive tradition it is only the beginning. For you and I, for residents of the city and guests, for the organizers, the creative team, artists, artisans it is an entire age. Slavianski Bazaar has always been more than a culture event. It is like a mirror of our history. The history of not only sovereign Belarus but the history of the entire world. And not only the world of culture.”
Two composers receive Belarusian president’s award in Vitebsk
Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that the idea of the festival was born at a time when the world was changing: “In a period when people were not up for songs, to put it mildly. Nations that had been one family not so long before were learning how to live separately. Not everyone understood our desire to take care of the organization of such a large-scale festival. There were many serious unresolved issues: political, economic, and social ones. Both for us, Belarusians, and for our nearest neighbors. Primarily Russians and Ukrainians. But you, the people needed the festival.”
In 2000 Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk set a record by gathering representatives of all the Slavonic nations. Representatives of 85 countries or nearly half the world have taken part in the festival since its inception.
“The history of the festival has not been interrupted either by crises or the pandemic. The entire world was on lockdown but Slavianski Bazaar kept broadcasting from Vitebsk. Vitebsk kept broadcasting and demonstrating that genuine art has never had and will not have barriers. Just imagine: over 18,000 artists have performed on the stage of the amphitheater since day one,” the head of state said. “So many people come to us during the days of Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk that the city grows twice as large. These are not simply numbers. Every guest, every participant creates the history of the festival. These are our traditional friends and they will be friends forever.”
Addressing spectators, artists, and organizers of Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk, Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that this festival would not exist without them.
“I know that today just like many years ago in this hall there are Belarusians and Poles, Russians, Ukrainians, representatives of tens of other countries that have come to us thanks to the visa waiver. Your presence here is the unbreakable factor that our fragile and unstable world needs with its absolutely incomprehensible development. We’ve done a lot and will do a lot for Slavianski Bazaar to remain the foundation of sincere and solid friendship of countries and nations. That is what is needed so much today,” the Belarusian leader stated.
He said he was confident that with their support and sincere love from spectators the future history of the festival will be long and bright.
“New talents and names are discovered on the stage of Slavianski Bazaar year after year. But the stars that light up here have to remember that they continue the journey of the great masters. Those one can and should learn from. The continuity of generations, succession is what makes genuine art eternal,” the president stressed.
Aleksandr Lukashenko declared the 35th edition of the international art festival Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk open and presented well-deserved awards to workers of culture according to the established tradition. Those included the special award “Through art to peace and understanding”, awards of the Union State of Belarus and Russia in the field of literature and art. The president also presented the key award to the winner of the international children’s music contest Vitebsk.
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